For the week of July 24-30, 2017, these charts show the number of times RMLS subscribers opened SentriLock lockboxes in Oregon and Washington. Activity increased in Washington and decreased in Oregon this week.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2013/05/27/supra-lockbox-activity-may-13-19-2013/feed/06117DataMaster Appraiser Program Now Available to RMLS™ Subscribershttp://rmlscentral.com/2013/04/01/datamaster-appraiser-program-now-available-to-rmls-subscribers/
http://rmlscentral.com/2013/04/01/datamaster-appraiser-program-now-available-to-rmls-subscribers/#commentsMon, 01 Apr 2013 16:00:39 +0000http://rmlscentral.com/?p=5715RMLS subscribers may now purchase the appraisal program DataMaster for use with RMLS data. DataMaster is a desktop application that imports MLS data from RMLS and public records data from another source. The data is combined into an appraiser’s existing appraisal software in order to quickly create an accurate 1004MC report.

DataMaster aims to increase an appraiser’s productivity by offering automatic importing, accuracy, and creating a 1004MC report in seconds. The software allows for custom formatting, and is UAD compliant.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2013/04/01/datamaster-appraiser-program-now-available-to-rmls-subscribers/feed/15715January is National Radon Action Monthhttp://rmlscentral.com/2013/01/02/january-is-national-radon-action-month/
http://rmlscentral.com/2013/01/02/january-is-national-radon-action-month/#respondWed, 02 Jan 2013 21:00:19 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=5140Radon can be fatal to homeowners. It can enter a house through cracks in the foundation, floors and walls, or in a home’s natural stone building materials. The gas is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in the United States (behind smoking), killing around 15,000 to 22,000 people per year.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2013/01/02/january-is-national-radon-action-month/feed/05140Give Potential Clients a Snapshot of Who You Arehttp://rmlscentral.com/2012/08/07/give-potential-clients-a-snapshot-of-who-you-are/
http://rmlscentral.com/2012/08/07/give-potential-clients-a-snapshot-of-who-you-are/#commentsTue, 07 Aug 2012 15:25:14 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=4223Have you been itching to set-up a digital portfolio to give your clients a more holistic view of. . .well, you? If you’ve been looking for a way to display all your achievements digitally—both professionally and personally—you might want to check out Pathbrite.

Pathbrite is a new company that lets users create digital portfolios that go way beyond the usual flat resume and timeline display. The company originally targeted students applying to college or first-time job seekers. However, Pathbrite is really for anyone, of any age, who wants to create a digital portfolio.

Check out how some of the Pathbrite staff use it to display their own experience.

Buying a home can be stressful. As a real estate agent, you get to see home buyers at their best — that is, the joy they feel when they step into their new home. But you first usually have to see them at their worst — the stress and tension they may feel in trying to find that perfect house. That puts you in role as adviser, friend, and counselor.

As a salesperson, you might be wondering what your customers really think about the home-buying process, and what, exactly, they expect from you beyond helping them find that ideal house. The bottom line: They expect a lot.

Top 5 Things Buyers Say They Want Most

The 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers survey conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® shows what buyers want from their agents. Here are the five biggest expectations:

1. Help finding the right home to purchase.

2. Help negotiating the price.

3. Help negotiating the terms of the sale.

4. Determining what comparable homes are selling for.

5. Assisting with paperwork.

That’s not all. Buyers surveyed also said some of the biggest benefits real estate practitioners can provide is helping them understand the home-buying process as well as pointing out unnoticed features or faults with a property. What’s more, the majority say they are looking for an agent who can improve their knowledge of home-search areas and provide a list of service providers.

The following are seven suggestions for real estate professionals in better assisting today’s buyers for improved client relationships.

1. Don’t Be Slow to Respond

Behind only honesty and integrity, response time is rated as a “very important” quality in real estate professionals, according to the NAR survey.

So how quick is your response time? Real estate professionals ignore or respond too late to nearly 75 percent of customer leads that come in through online channels, according to a secret-shopping study by PCMS Consulting and One Cavo. The study, which evaluated practitioners’ response rate to Internet leads from customers, found that nearly half of agents did not respond to the Internet leads. And, 23 percent of the leads that did receive calls back were contacted about eight hours after forms were submitted.

That’s still too late, the survey’s researchers say. “Today’s Internet consumer is expecting a response certainly within the hour but, more likely, within 15 or 20 minutes,” said Bradley Miller, One Cavo founder and president.(For help in improving your response time, check out Buyer’s Guide: CRM Solutions or 6 Best Practices for Online Leads.)

2. Be a Savvy Negotiator

The good news: For the most part, most buyers are satisfied with the real estate agents they choose, and nine out of 10 say they would recommend their agents to others, according to NAR’s 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. But there’s one area in particular they feel agents need a little extra work: negotiation skills. This and technology skills were the only areas where buyers expressed less satisfaction with their agents.

Today’s buyers want a deal — or a steal. Are your negotiation skills up to par for challenging transactions? In your last few negotiations, how successful have you been? Have your buyers felt satisfied in the end? Or have too many deals fallen apart lately?

3. Don’t Come Across as an Amateur

Home buyers love to view photos and videos of homes, which has compelled more real estate professionals to hastily put on photographer and filmmaker hats. But if video isn’t your forte, then maybe you shouldn’t grab that pocket camera or smartphone and broadcast your work on YouTube. You actually might do more harm than good.

One real estate professional in the Dallas area decided to shoot several neighborhood videos from a handheld camera, turning buyers off of several neighborhoods in the area. The videos were all captured as the agent drove through the neighborhoods (safety tip: don’t film and drive) and captured it all on a cloudy, winter day — not exactly the best backdrop for making neighborhoods look appealing. If you want to do a neighborhood video, wait for a sunny summer or spring day to show off the vegetation and greenery, make sure you keep the camera in focus, and film when you’re not on the move. Better yet, maybe take a film class or enlist an aspiring filmmaker for help. Same goes for property pictures, too — if you’re not good at shooting photos, then seek professional help, or obtain the skillset you need to do a professional job.

4. Have a Web Presence

As a determining factor for choosing an agent, reputation was rated No. 2 behind trustworthiness, according to the NAR survey. For many consumers, online search has become a go-to method to find out more about a practitioner’s business, and one of the things they look for is other clients’ reviews. If nothing comes up when they Google you, some buyers will assume you’re not very established in your business, and they may have a tough time putting their biggest purchase in your hands. If it’s a Facebook page with some questionable photos, well, that won’t likely win you any clients either.

Social networking pages like LinkedIn often come up early in Web searches, so make sure they’re up-to-date and represent your business. Also, take advantage of the “recommendations” feature to highlight customer reviews.

According to surveys, home buyers also say real estate practitioner and company Web sites have been useful in their home search. Here’s what they rated as top site features:

1. Photos

2. Detailed information about properties for sale

3. Virtual tours

4. Interactive maps

5. Real estate agent contact information

6. Neighborhood information

5. Don’t Dodge a Question

There are certain questions you can’t answer because of fair housing laws, such as “What kind of people live in this neighborhood?” or “Is this home in the best school district?” But if you just ignore the question or gloss over it, you inadvertently make the buyer lose faith in your knowledge about the market or feel like their question didn’t matter.

Keep data on demographics, crime, and school reports with you, available at your Web site, or even in a special buyer packet you give clients when touring homes. That way, when they ask you a question you can’t answer, you can point them to where they can find it on their own.

6. Follow the 3 E’s

You’ll have to wear multiple hats as an agent. Be ready to educate, empathize, and encourage.

Educate: Educate the buyer on the area, what comparable homes are selling for, the average price per square foot in the neighborhood, and every stage in the buying process.

Empathize: Buyers are bound to throw something at you that may seem absurd during the home search. Remember, this is a big step, and it’s scary so they may get cold feet and suddenly a seemingly easy fix to you — like the color of the walls — becomes a huge obstacle they can’t overlook. Even if the gripe seems unreasonable, keep your cool, listen to their complaint so they feel heard, and then propose a practical solution or find a compromise. (Read more: Get to the Root of Buyers’ Objections.)

Encourage: Once your buyers select a home, validate their decision. Review the priorities they stated in their home search, and how well the home measures up: Did they find a good match? A big portion in the buying process is the feeling of validation — that they made a good decision, which will help lead them all the way to the closing table.

7. Don’t Pull a Houdini

After buyers select a house, don’t just disappear until closing day. You’ll make them feel abandoned. While buyers say they most want assistance in finding the right property, they also say they want their agent’s help with understanding the entire process and recommendations of service providers.

Find excuses to make contact, even when there’s nothing to do that week to move the transaction forward. For example, “I saw this interesting article in the newspaper and thought of you,” or “I just drove past the house and it looks great. I know you’re getting excited for move-in day.” Send happy birthday greetings or remember special dates. For relocation clients, help them get adjusted to the community by offering up fun things to do in the area. (Get more ideas for keeping in touch.)

The end of a transaction is really just the beginning to building a relationship with your clients, proving you’ll be there every step of the way and beyond, to the next time they need your services — or their friend does.

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online, March, 2012, with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright March 2102. All rights reserved.

When comparing the week of February 13 – February 19 with the week prior, the number of times an RMLS subscriber opened a Supra lockbox decreased 5.7% in Washington and increased 0.1% in Oregon.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2012/02/27/supra-lockbox-activity-updated-through-week-of-february-13-february-19/feed/03308March 1st — RMLS™ Trade Fair Is Right Around the Corner!http://rmlscentral.com/2012/02/14/march-1st-rmls-trade-fair-is-right-around-the-corner/
http://rmlscentral.com/2012/02/14/march-1st-rmls-trade-fair-is-right-around-the-corner/#respondTue, 14 Feb 2012 18:32:31 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=3281Mark your calendar for the RMLS Trade Fair. There will be more credit hour classes offered than ever before!

The 2012 Spring RMLS Education Summit & Trade Fair will be held on March 1st at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. There will be a total of 13 Oregon and 2 Washington credit hour classes, most of them offered FREE of charge! Check out our class descriptions.

Register here for credit classes offered by PMAR or to register by phone call 503-459-2168.

Of course, no registration is required to attend the Trade Fair. Throughout the day there will be raffles for fantastic door prizes provided by our sponsors and vendors. Don’t miss out–we’ll see you there!

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2012/02/14/supra-lockbox-activity-updated-through-week-of-january-30-february-5/feed/03267How to Allow Listing Edit Permission for Co-Listing Agentshttp://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/20/how-to-allow-listing-edit-permission-for-co-listing-agents/
http://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/20/how-to-allow-listing-edit-permission-for-co-listing-agents/#respondThu, 20 Jan 2011 15:56:45 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=2297Now that Co-Listing Agents can be granted permission to edit listings, agents who work in teams on a listing will have more freedom and ability to maintain the accuracy and speed of updating listings. And thankfully, it’s extremely easy for a Listing Agent or their Principal Broker to allow Co-Listing Agent permission! Just follow these simple steps:

1. Go to “Back Office,” and “Listing Load.” Go to the MISC change page in a listing, and scroll down to the Broker/Agent Data section. (Click on the image below to enlarge.)

2. A new field has been added to this section. To allow permission, select “YES” in the “Allow Edit” dropdown list.

Here are some key points to know:

In Listing Load, the search results will display listings whether you are the Listing Agent or the Co-Listing Agent.

Co-Listing Agents will only be able to edit those listings in which they are named as the Co-Listing Agent.

Listing Office and Co-Listing Office must share the same firm, determined by the first four characters of the broker code. (The broker code is a 6 digit code that indicates which office an agent is associated with.)

Co-Listing Agents will not be able to edit in-progress listings or CMP (comparable) changes.

If a Co-Listing Agent is named as the Co-Listing Agent but not granted editing permission, the Co-Listing Agent can still view Listing View Counts.

The “Allow Edit” dropdown list is set to “NO” by default, so a Listing Agent or Principal Broker must change it to “YES” if a Co-Listing Agent is to be given edit permission.

For an example of what a Co-Listing Agent will now see in Listing Load, click the image below. Note: In the top two listings displayed in the image, the Co-Listing Agent has been granted edit permission. In the third listing, no edit permission has been granted.

To print or save a copy of these procedures and rules for yourself, please see this help document.

As always, if you have any further questions or concerns we are here to help. You can call your local RMLS office or the RMLS Help Desk at (503) 872-8002 in the Portland Metro Area or toll-free at (877) 256-2169.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/20/how-to-allow-listing-edit-permission-for-co-listing-agents/feed/02297REALTOR.com Now Displays Open House Informationhttp://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/06/realtor-com-now-displays-open-house-information/
http://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/06/realtor-com-now-displays-open-house-information/#respondThu, 06 Jan 2011 21:32:59 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=2263The information is automatically pulled from the RMLS system!

To more easily facilitate the ability of agents to upload Open House information to their REALTOR.com listings, RMLS has partnered with REALTOR.com to pull your Open House information from our system and automatically put it on all your listings on REALTOR.com. To ensure your information transfers, please be sure to add your Open House information to the RMLS system (for help with entering Open House information in RMLSweb, see this tutorial).

Please note: You are automatically “opted-in” to this feature, and the Open House information on RMLS will override Open House information entered on REALTOR.com. If you are a Showcase Listing subscriber and do not want REALTOR.com to take your Open House information from RMLS, you will need to opt-out of this feature in your REALTOR.com control panel.

If you have any further questions, please contact REALTOR.com Customer Care at 800-878-4166 (Monday to Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific time), or email CustomerCare@REALTOR.com.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2011/01/06/realtor-com-now-displays-open-house-information/feed/02263Supra Lockbox Activity – Updated Through Week of October 11 – October 17http://rmlscentral.com/2010/10/25/supra-lockbox-activity-updated-through-week-of-october-11-october-17/
http://rmlscentral.com/2010/10/25/supra-lockbox-activity-updated-through-week-of-october-11-october-17/#respondMon, 25 Oct 2010 16:00:31 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=1907Decreases seen in both states

When comparing the week of October 11 – October 17 with the week prior, the number of times an RMLS subscriber opened a Supra lockbox decreased 3.4% in Washington and 1.2% in Oregon.

Save time using this new field in Advanced Search

Now, you have the ability to search across all rooms for a particular room feature. The recent All Room Features field addition to Advanced Search on RMLSweb will help you be much more efficient in your searching.

We know this firsthand because the Communications staff here at RMLS was recently working together to come up with our weekly Friday Fun Fact. We decided to see how many active listings in RMLSweb had balconies. However, this simple task proved to be more difficult than we had anticipated.

In order to get our answer, we conducted individual searches for balconies in each room category listed in Advanced Search. For example, we searched for balconies in “2nd Bedroom Features,” “3rd Bedroom Features,” “Additional Room #1 Features,” and so on until we had the total count of balconies in each room category.

Our work wasn’t done just yet, either. We then added together all of the search counts from each room category to get our grand total of active listings with balconies.

Thanks to the addition of the All Room Features field, the next time we want to know how many properties have balconies, we can run just one search. We imagine that you can also benefit from being able to search through all of the room categories in one simple step.

]]>http://rmlscentral.com/2010/05/07/all-room-features-simplifying-searches/feed/01350New Updates on RMLSweb Now in Actionhttp://rmlscentral.com/2010/04/29/new-updates-on-rmlsweb-now-in-action/
http://rmlscentral.com/2010/04/29/new-updates-on-rmlsweb-now-in-action/#respondThu, 29 Apr 2010 21:34:09 +0000http://rmlsweb.wordpress.com/?p=1306RMLSweb has been updated with some new and exciting features: